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Category Archives: Massachusetts Senate

Former Springfield City Councilor Amaad Rivera has reentered the electoral arena, challenging West Springfield Senator James Welch. Rivera, who has mostly worked as a political aide since leaving office, is Welch’s second Democratic primary opponent. Springfield Ward 1 Councilor Adam Gomez announced in January. Taking

The jockeying to permanently succeed Stanley Rosenberg as Senate President began anew last weekend amid fresh reports about the widening scandal surrounding his husband. The new details about his spouse, Bryon Hefner, have all but bulldozed Rosenberg’s narrow, delicate path back to power. Acting Senate

On Friday, nomination papers for state offices became available, prompting an early salvo of pols’ intentions. For example, despite an investigation into his husband, Amherst Senator Stanley Rosenberg picked up nomination papers last week. However, that was not the only Senate news. Springfield Ward 1

Leadership in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate released their committee assignments for the session that began last month. With thousands of bills to consider, committees can begin parse now that they have leaders and membership. The Western Massachusetts delegation received some plum assignments.

UPDATED 1/23/17 11:53AM: To reflect a correction. Samantha Kelly, Lesser’s Legislative Director, does not also carry the title of Legislative Aide. As Eric Lesser starts a new term in the Massachusetts Senate, some fresh faces will serve him in district and in Boston. The Longmeadow

UPDATED 2/1/2017 3:15PM: For a correction. Senator Joseph Boncore, Democrat of Winthrop, is also a Millennial was overlooked in prior versions of this post. BOSTON—Both chambers of the Massachusetts Legislature were sworn in Wednesday with the usual ceremony (and free lunch). Governor Charlie Baker did

The wreckage of this month’s national election has had a number of effects across the country. Given the continued down ballot troubles of Democrats, one immediate consequence has been pushing forward a younger generation of figures in the party. In the Pioneer Valley, this has

Five years ago, cheers broke out in the Springfield City Council chamber after councilors unanimously approved the city’s foreclosure ordinance. Ravaged by the foreclosure crisis and subsequent recession, Springfield had taken a notably bold step toward curbing the deterioration of neighborhoods littered with vacant, bank-owned

The Massachusetts Senate unanimously adopted an amendment offered by Longmeadow Senator Eric Lesser Thursday that would order the Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to study regular rail service between Boston and Springfield. While the Senate’s approval was unsurprising, it inches the commonwealth toward better connecting its

Better late than never. On Thursday the Massachusetts Senate approved protections for transgender individuals’ right to access public accommodations. The House is set to approve a similar bill. While bathrooms have dominated this issue, the implications are far broader than the lavatory. If enacted into

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